Infinite Moments
by Happymeday
Summary: AU. She's 14, works at the most prestigious Inn in Kyoto, and is brokenhearted. He's 17, doesn't know how to work a vacuum to save his life, and is despondent. But, as they say, "misery loves company".


**Disclaimers Apply.**

**Genre: Friendship / Humor**

**Characters: Kuon, Kyouko**

**Summary: _Kuon never left to be a star and Kyouko turned down Sho's offer to run away together. But, as the years wear on, Kuon can't leave the dark void he's lost in, and with no other option Kuu and Julie send him to Kyoto in hopes he'll heal away from his home and the painful memories. But of course Kuu can't leave him alone, and so through an agreement with the Fuwa Okami-san, a certain golden-eyed attendant is sent to care for him. Both Kuon and Kyouko are hurt by life, but can they help each other when they want nothing to do with one another?_**

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_Finite Moments_

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The heat of Kyoto was near unbearable for Kuon. He'd thought Los Angeles was brutal, but Japan mercilessly proved him wrong. He could feel the sweat slip down his back, coat around his neck, and mingle with the hair on his scalp.

Frankly, he felt _gross_.

With a clang he dropped the heavy instrument he'd been lifting; wincing as he figured a moment too late that he should've been gentler with the hardwood floor. With his toe he nudged the weight bar, rolling it to inspect for damage. There wasn't any.

All of sudden the summer heat came to the forefront of his mind, overwhelming any other thoughts he might have had. Despite top of the line services and all other-fancy –things in this expensive house his parents had commandeered for him, Kyoto's heat proved more powerful and had wrecked their AC unit. She had gone around propping windows open, seeking the common wind that breezed through Kyoto. It lifted the sheer curtains his mother had picked, their lacy edges turning his rough workout room into one of delicacy.

With a quick swipe of his arms he slipped his sweat-soaked shirt off him, damning her modesty and how it'd guilt tripped him into keeping it on. It was hot, he was hot, and the shirt was hot. He felt like he was going to either collapse into a puddle or go mad with rage.

Evidently, neither of those happened as a small startled gasp sounded behind him. He flipped around, facing the window, to find Kyouko, cheeks aflame with embarrassment as her eyes refocused on the chiseled stomach he worked hard for. Though Kuon did not enjoy most girls memorizing his figure to memory, there was something about the ashamed way Kyouko peeked that didn't bother him so much. A crooked grin tilted his lips up.

"Do you like what you see?" He asked, settling his damp shirt over his shoulder and placing a rough hand on his hip.

She sucked in a breath so hard she choked, shaking her head vigorously as her eyes whipped up to his face.

Though she refused to look into his eyes.

Her gloved hands gripped the brim of her gardener's hat, holding it to just under chin, its frayed edges most likely scratching the underside of her jaw. A sweet pink ribbon had been tied around the crown of the hat. Its big girly bow did not match the worn beige of her gloves.

Before she could try and stutter a response he came forward and leaned onto the window's ledge, forcing her to scuttle backwards less her face kissed his cheek. Beneath him was a dark mass of soil, gentle flowers happily turning their faces to the sun.

"Why," he began, lazily dragging his gaze back up to look at her messy state. "Are you gardening in this ridiculous heat?" Frankly, he felt like he was boiling just staring at her. He could even see the trickle of sweat tracing her face, like a tear.

Apparently glad to not continue the previous thread of conversation, she replied quickly. "It's my job."

Disgust wrinkled his brow and twisted his stomach. She was 14. She shouldn't be working. He thought of the Inn she lived at, and he frowned even more.

"I'm sorry!" She yelled, dropping to her knees and bending her torso to face the ground. "I didn't mean to stare at your body, I-I mean not that it's not very nice to look at but- uh no, I shouldn't have looked at you without your permission and I'm so very sorry!"

Her worlds were yelled at him so quickly he could barely understand what she said. Mirth tickled him, and he openly grinned at her. "Come now, get up. A pretty girl shouldn't throw herself into the dirt like that."

When she sat up on her folded legs her face was bright red, and he figured it was due more to her embarrassment than to the heat. With a cocked eyebrow he continued to stare at her until she shifted and stood to her full height. When Kuon looked away she visibly relaxed.

Deciding he'd teased her enough, he waved at her, backing away from the window. "Well, it's too hot for me. I'll leave you to your 'job'." He shot her a quick smile before departing from the room, her relieved face upsetting him.

The hallway to the kitchen was cooler than his workout room, and walking stirred up an air that felt wonderful on his bare skin. The cold glass of icy water in his hand felt even better.

Honestly, he _probably _shouldn't have done it, but do it he did.

Quiet as a mouse he returned to his workout room and crept back to the window, where Kyouko could be seen, kneeling in the dirt as she tended to the flowers, a hard frown on her face. With unanticipated glee he tipped the frigid water down onto her back, eliciting such a startled and loud scream he nearly dropped the glass on her.

Kyouko leapt up and faced him, anger and humor turning her face into an unattractive red. "Kuon!" She scolded, even as her lips trembled into a smile.

That was the last he saw as he bent double, arms wrapped around his stomach. He figured his face was even less attractive with the way he laughed. He laughed so hard that his sides hurt.

The face full of water he received came as a shock then, and when he gasped he choked as it entered his mouth. As sudden as the water came it stopped, and then he could hear the giggles the streaming mass had hid. One of Kyouko's gloves covered her laughing mouth, and the other glove-less hand gripped the offending hose, its water dripping gracefully once again.

"Kyouko," he said voice full of warning and dark and deep, almost a growl. By the time he'd grasped the window ledge and vaulted through its opening she'd gasped and whirled to run away. Feeling generous, he gave her enough of a chance to run before he shot after her.

Up ahead he could see Kyouko glance back at him, the ponytail of her black hair rushing forward to cling to her face. He supposed seeing his tall figure charging her actually elicited some real terror as she screamed.

Easily he caught up to her, wrapping his arms around her as they fell to the grass, cushioning her fall with his body. Their laughter obliterated any awkwardness that might have arisen as she tumbled off his shaking form and landed with a breathless thump beside him.

They were close enough that their arms near touched.

The wind whistled around them, and as their giggles died out the sound of twittering birds and the breeze snaking through the forest near them filled the silence.

It was these moments that Kuon felt were stretched into infinity, and these that seemed the most finite.

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**A/N: I'm sorry I haven't updated any of my stories. I've lost all motivation for Skip Beat. While I still love the characters, I can't bring myself to complete the stories I've created for them, and for that I am sorry. Perhaps one day I will.**

**In all actuality, this is a story that's been on my mind for quite some time now. Frankly, I wish I could write this, but I don't know if I could complete it and I'd rather not start another story and leave it hanging. Along with my increased work load, I don't think it's wise to add another responsibility. I might or might not write this.**

**Okay, I know some people are going to point out **_"But, Kyouko and Ren are 4 years apart! Here, they're 3!" _**To make my story work, I needed her 14, but I couldn't have him 18. So I fudged things a bit. Don't worry, if I do continue this I promise there'll be no unsavory age differences. That'll wait until later ;)**

**So, thank you for reading, and if you review, thanks for that too! I hope you've enjoyed this fic of mine, and you'll forgive my creative stretching that I've performed. **


End file.
